Make plans for staying up to date on your COVID vaccines: where/when to find vaccine through the holidays
Hastings, Neb –South Heartland District Health Department (SHDHD) executive director Michele Bever reported that COVID-19 cases are rising again, more long-term care facilities are experiencing outbreaks, and virus levels in wastewater have climbed to high levels.
“The virus that causes COVID-19 is still circulating in our communities, along with influenza virus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). These respiratory viruses can hit us hard, interrupting our holiday plans and our lives. Some people get so sick from these illnesses that they need hospital care,” Bever said. “We encourage residents to stay up to date on their influenza and COVID-19 vaccines, especially as we head into the holiday season,” she said.
COVID-19 vaccine is available at many health care providers throughout the health district and also at public locations, including Clay County Health Department and at South Heartland’s COVID-19 vaccine clinic at the west end of Allen’s in Hastings.
SHDHD assistant director Janis Johnson, RN, BSN, manages the COVID-19 vaccine for the health district. “Please note that the Allen’s COVID-19 vaccine clinic schedule is changing for the holiday season so that the staff and volunteers may have a much-deserved break,” Johnson said. “There will be no weekly COVID vaccine clinic held at Allen’s on November 23, December 21, or December 28.”
SHDHD’S COVID-19 webpage lists locations in Adams, Clay, Nuckolls, and Webster counties where COVID-19 vaccine is available. The webpage includes the hours, how to schedule, whether walk-ins are welcome and contact information for each clinic or pharmacy. The webpage may be accessed from the health department’s website homepage: southheartlandhealth.ne.gov.
Bever reported 51 new confirmed COVID-19 cases recorded last week, compared to 33 the week before. This week through Thursday has brought an additional 29 cases. Bever said South Heartland’s hospitals reported 91% of the patients hospitalized due to COVID illness during the month of October were unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated. October’s COVID-hospitalized patients ranged in age from 35 to 87 years old.
“My wish is that all of our residents are able to enjoy the winter holiday season uninterrupted,” Bever said. “Take care of yourselves and your loved ones - - help keep yourself and your family protected by staying up to date on all of your vaccinations,” she said.
For more information on COVID-19, or for locations offering COVID-19 vaccine, COVID-19 tests or influenza vaccine, refer to the SHDHD website, southheartlandhealth.ne.gov, or call the health department office, 1-877-238-7595.
SHDHD COVID-19 dashboard update on 11.17.2022:
- 51 confirmed COVID-19 cases logged last week compared to 33 the week before
- 29 confirmed cases counted in the current week through Wednesday
- Long-term Care Facilities: 5 facilities with staff and/or residents testing positive in the past 2 weeks
- Case rate is “substantial”: 64 cases per 100,000 for the past 7 days on 11/17/22 (A case rate of 100 or more per 100,000 in 7 days is considered “high level”, 50 to 99.99 is “substantial”, 10 to 49.99 is “moderate”, and less than 10 is considered a “low” case rate)
- Community weekly positivity: 35% for the week ending 11/12/22 (10% is considered High)
- Testing for the week ending 11/12/22 increased by 46.5% over the previous week (148 confirmed test results, up from 101). Testing does not include results from at-home tests, which are not included in the case counts and are not required to be reported to the health department.
- Cumulative case total for the health district: 11,509 since March 2020
- Preliminary data in the most current Nebraska SARS-CoV-2 Genomic Surveillance Report shows that BA.5 makes up 78% of the circulating virus and new variants BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 make up about 13% of the circulating virus in Nebraska.
- Most current Nebraska Wastewater Surveillance Report shows an increase to “very high” virus levels for Hastings (samples from 11/07/22).
- Other South Heartland District COVID-19 trends may be found on SHDHD’s COVID-19 dashboard at southheartlandhealth.ne.gov